1 What are Peer Observations of Teaching?

Peer observations of teaching are a practice where educators observe and provide developmental feedback to their colleagues on their teaching.

Typically, a peer observation of teaching involves a colleague being invited to attend and observe a class, with the observation focusing on various aspects of teaching that may extend to:

• classroom management
• instructional strategies
• student engagement
• learning activities
• assessment techniques

The colleague or peer acting as the observer may use a variety of tools to gather data during the observation, such as note-taking, observation forms, and collecting anonymous feedback from students.

After the observation, the observer provides feedback to the instructor, highlighting strengths and areas for enhancement. Teaching observations can take place in-person or online, spanning both synchronous and asynchronous contexts (Chism, 2007; Bennett & Barp, 2008).